The present invention relates to an electrical connector for a flat conductive member.
As an electrical connector for a flat conductive member, a connector having a terminal has been known. The terminal is shaped of a metal sheet so that a planar surface of the metal sheet is maintained. A plurality of the terminals is arranged so that the planar surfaces are parallel to each other. Further, a pressing portion of the terminal is displaced in the planar surface so that a flat conductive member is pressed to fit into a contact portion of the terminal.
In a connector of this type disclosed in Patent Reference, as shown in FIG. 4(A), two types of terminals, terminals 52 and 53, are arranged in a housing 51. As each of the terminals 52 and 53 has a similar relationship with a pressing member, only the terminal 52 will be explained in the following description. Patent Reference: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-178958
The terminal 52 has a fixed arm portion 55 and a movable arm portion 54. A connecting portion 56 connects the fixed arm portion 55 and the movable arm portion 54 as a single member in a middle portion. The fixed arm portion 55 and the movable arm portion 54 are substantially parallel to each other. The movable arm portion 54 is situated in an upper portion. The movable arm portion 54 has a pressing portion 54A on one end and a pressed portion 54B on the other end.
The pressing portion 54A presses a flat conductive member F. The pressed portion 54B receives pressure from a cam portion 61 of a pressing member 60. The pressing member 60 extends over a plurality of terminal arrangement ranges. The pressing member 60 has shaft portions (not shown) on both ends in a terminal arrangement direction (direction perpendicular to a sheet surface).
The housing 51 supports the shaft portion to be freely rotatable. The cam portion 61 is rotatably operated around the shaft portion to press the pressed portion 54B of the terminal 52. The cam portion 61 is guided to rotate between the pressed portion 54B of the movable arm portion 54 and a guide portion 55B of the fixed arm portion 55 of the terminal 52. The pressed portion 54B is formed on an end portion of the movable arm portion 54. The guide portion 55B is formed on an end portion of the fixed arm portion 55. Each of the end portions is substantially linear in a direction to which each of the arm portions extends.
In the connector disclosed in Patent Reference, when the pressing member 60 is rotated from an open position shown in FIG. 4(A) to a closed position shown in FIG. 4(B), the pressed portion 54B receives a force from the cam portion 61 to be displaced. Accordingly, the movable arm portion 54 makes an angular movement as a lever taking the connecting portion 56 as a pivot to be displaced in a direction in which the pressing portion 54A presses the flat conductive member F. The flat conductive member F and a contact portion 55A of the fixed arm portion 55 are electrically connected with contact pressure.
In the connector disclosed in Patent Reference, the pressing member 60 is supported so that the rotation center is in a specific position only in a shaft portion that protrudes from an end portion in a terminal arrangement direction. The terminal arrangement range is situated between the shaft portions. The cam portion 61 of the pressing member 60 is supported between the movable arm portion 54 and the fixed arm portion 55 of the terminal 52 in a top-to-bottom direction in the terminal arrangement range. The cam portion 61 of the pressing member 60 is not supported or regulated in a longitudinal direction of the arm portions or a transverse direction.
The terminal of the connector of this type is made to be flat. Accordingly, a pitch between the terminals can be small, which enables to provide many terminals. As a result, a width of the pressing member 60 in the terminal arrangement direction is often enlarged. Accordingly, when the pressing member 60 is at the closed position and receives an external force having a transverse direction component toward a direction of an inside of the connector inadvertently, for example, when an excessive force is applied to the inside direction upon moving the pressing member 60 to an open position, the pressing member 60 is likely to be bent between the shaft portions to be displaced to the transverse direction. It is possible that the displacement causes the rotation center of the cam portion to move in the transverse direction and the terminal to be deformed.
In view of the problems described above, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector for a flat conductive member in which a rotation center of a cam portion does not move and a terminal is not damaged at a regular position even if a pressing member at a closed position receives an external force in a transverse direction.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.